GATEWAY LAX PROJECT RECEIVES HONOR FROM WESTSIDE URBAN FORUM
(Los Angeles, Calfornia - June 15, 2001) The Gateway LAX Project, which brought a new landmark for Los Angeles, received special recognition from the Westside Urban Forum today for its "innovative excellence in reflecting the heart of the Los Angeles community to visitors each day. " The organizations recognized were Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), Ted Tokio Tanaka Architects, Selbert Perkins Design, and Swinerton Builders (all contractors are based in the City of Los Angeles).
The Gateway LAX Project includes a 32 foot-high "L-A-X" sign located at Century Boulevard entryway to the airport, 16 variable height pylons constructed in the median of Century Boulevard, and 15 100-foot-high pylons located in a circle at the intersection of Century and Sepulveda Boulevards.
"I am excited that the Gateway LAX Project is meeting our original design goal of reflecting the diversity of our surrounding communities and creating a vibrant identity for LAX," said Kim Day, Los Angeles World Airports deputy executive director. "This project was a collaborative vision with LAWA, Ted Tokio Tanaka Architects, Selbert Perkins Design, and Swinerton Builders. I am proud that we have been able to create a bold wayfinding entrance to LAX and lasting first impression for our tens of millions of visitors who pass through LAX."
The pylons are distinctive architectural structures that consist of structural steel support frames encased in a layer of translucent, tempered glass. The 15 pylons located at the intersection of Century and Sepulveda Boulevards are 12 feet in diameter and form a ring, while those constructed on the Century Boulevard median from Aviation to Sepulveda Boulevards are six feet in diameter and range in height from 25 to 60 feet guiding passengers to LAX. These pylons are lit from dusk to midnight each night in various manners and colors with over 300 color patterns.
"One of the most important goals was for the design to tell the story of the project. For the Gateway LAX Project, aviation is an important theme, and therefore, the pylons mimic the takeoff pattern of an airplane," said Tanaka. "In addition, as the Gateway to the Pacific Rim, as well as to the City of Los Angeles, the colored pylons represent our diverse culture."
"It is wonderful that the Gateway LAX Project is being recognized by our own local community," said Robin Perkins, principal of Selbert Perkins Design Collaborative. "We are all so proud of the urban landmark that this monument has become since it was first lit last summer."
The Gateway LAX Project is part of a multi-faceted $112-million Enhancement Program, which also includes an overhaul of the signage and graphics identifying airport terminals, airlines, parking and roadways; improvements to pedestrian walkways and sidewalks within the airport and in new greenbelts extending to and along Century Boulevard; lighting enhancements that will make signage easier to see and draw attention to architectural improvements, artwork and landscaping; a new Upper/Departures Level canopy connecting all terminals; a new, clearer sounding public address system on the Lower/Arrivals Level; new landscaping and vegetation that provides shade and greenery from numerous vantage points; and public art installations in the form to reflect the local artistry of a multi-cultural city.
The Westside Urban Forum, which was established in 1985, has approximately 450 leaders in the environmental, civic, and capital develop merit fields. The Forum's mission is to create a roundtable to discuss matters of land use for West Los Angeles and the Greater Los Angeles area.
